Locking means for screw-threaded parts.



M. JACOBS.

100mm: MEANS FOR SCREW THREADED PARTS.

Patented July 18, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEE I.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. 1910.

ATTORNEY M. JACOBS- LOCKING MEANS FOR SCREW THREADED PARTSQ APPLICATION mu) IULV29. 19:0.

2 SHEETS-SNEI 2.

Bay A.

1769 79. w. ]"To'qrz [77/ vanwr UNITED snares PATENT OFFICE.

Ii iiCiE-RIS JACOBS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

LOCKING MEANS son SCREWTHREADED PARTS:

7 Specification 01f Letters Patent.

' Patented July 18,1916;

- A iication fiiedJ 1 29,.191o. Serial 1%. 574,447( 1 To all whom it mag/concern:

Be itknown that I, MORRIS J icons, :1 citi- *zen of theUnited 'states of America, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New ork. in the county of Kings and State of 1\'ew' York, have invented certain new and mensions the locking means commonly provided are defective in their-locking functions. One of the'obje'cts of my present invention is to provide'loc-king means which will effectively lock whether the cooperative screw-threaded parts fit together, tightlypor loosely. .Q

It is common and usually desirable to have the locking member spring pressed and this result-has been accomplished either by employing a separate spring of the proper resiliency for pressing a rigid-loci;

ing member 'into locking engagement L01" employing a locking member embody ng in itself the necessaryresiliency by which it is pressed into locking engagement. The former construction is usually complicated. liable to derangement and expensive. The latter construction is" subject to the detect that if the resilient or spring locking nienr her be sufficiently] flexible and yieldable to bring about locking engagement then such member will not be sufliciently rigid and re.- sistant'to providea secure lock, and. vice versa. and the objectionable results of this defect have been accentuated by the variations in relative size of the cooperative screw-threaded parts hereinabove noted.

Therefore. a another ot-the important objects of my inventionis to provide resilient locking means which shall combine a maximum of rigidity and resistance Jt-o there i provide. a securelgclz, with a maximum cf yieldability locking engagement;-

Fig. u

and flexibility a; i-assi ns Another 'serious defectfin this general class of devices hasbcenjt e usual inaccessibility for release of the;lockingmeans, and another object of my inventionisto pro vide for the convenient unlocking or release of the locking means. A

Other objects and [advantages of my invcntion will appear fron'rt-he "following description; v

I shall. now describe the accompanying drawings illustrating se eral embodiments of my invention and slall thereafter point out my invention in claims...

section pa rtl y Figure 1 is a longitudinal.

in elevation showing ,a=. .self-l 0cl ing nut locked on a bolt and o acting vith the bolt in clamping two obgects together-g, lfig. 2 is a'cross-section th'ough; inner" face of the nut a 'view d jronrabove in Fig.- 1. Fig. .3 is a11. el e\'a nt partly in section, of-the nut. al9 ne; r s.;yewed -diago nally downward from the right in Fig. Fig. 4 isa view similar to' Fig. -2, but'partly broken away and with 'the-lockin'g member shown as moved to non-locking position. is a longitudinal sect-ion partly broken away of a modified construction in which the rockabletorsional spring flfltlltlt? ing stem is composed part of a coil andin part of a straight wire. Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view, partly; broken away, of

the construction shown at Fig. 5. Fig. '7 is a longitudinal sectiongpartly brokenaway, of a modif cation hav ing a coiledtorsiona'l spring Stem which is notgin' actuating-stem. Fig. 8 isa cross sectiont-hrough.the boltat the inner face of thef nutpas.viewedzgfromabove in Fig. 7. Eig fi is a' lon gitudinal section partly in side elevation 0t a-se':l'flocking nut embodying a modification of the construction shdwnf at'Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 10 is a similar view of a, furthermodification in the same respect; ,'Fig. 11 is an inverted plan view ofythe'lo'cking member which appears in elevation in Fig; 10. Fig. 12 is a plan View partlysbroken.away. of the inner side of a self-locking nut embodying a: further modification along the lines of construction shown at Figs.

Fig. 13 is a side. ele member as view d i the left incFig. member in its form-- ion of the Licking v. upward from ingthe locking pmvious to insertion inthe nut. Figs. 14 and 15 are similar views, iespectively. showing modified means of securing inplace a locking member having a torsional spring stem which is not an actu ating stem. Fig. 16 is .a plan view of a nut having a slightly modified recess for I containing the actuating lever. Fig. 17 is a Fig. 18.

the movement in either direction.

is a plan view partly broken away of the 'inner face of aself-locking nut embodying plan View of a modified nut wherein two locking members of reverse construction are employed for locking the nut against rota- .Fig. 18

a modificationalong the samegeneral lines as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and 9 to 13, in-. Fig. .19 is a longitudinal section elusive.

partly broken away of what is shown at My invention is capable of embodiment in a very simple construction for fully carrying out the foregoing objects.

My broad invention in its most complete embodiment consists of .a: combined resilient torsional stem and rockable actuating stem which extends longitudinally of a screw threaded part carrying the-locking member,

such stem being providedat a suitable inner ;point with locking means, there being proor for releasing such means from lockingvided releasable means forholding the stem against rotation atanother suitable point. It is therefore to be noted that the stem serves the double purposeof a torsion spring for holding the lockingmember 1n engage: ment and also of an actuating stem'for moving the locking means into locking position engagement. Constructions embodying this complete idea are illustrated at Figs. 1 to 6,

inclusive, and 7, and are also incidentally shown at Fig. 16, showing slight modifications in the releasable holding means for thestenn It is, however, entirely within the broader scope of my invention to modify the construction so as to eliminate or'omit from the stem of the'locking member either its function as an actuating means for actif-l ating the locking means or its other function as a torsional spring for pressing the locking. means into locking position. Constructionsembodying the fo'rmer idea are illustrated at Figs. 7 and 8, 9 to 13, inclusive,

1% and 15, 18 and19; these constructions j being'directed to'include particularly the re- ,on a self-locking nub-2, which is provided with a locking member. The bolt 1 constitutes an inner screw-threaded part and the net .2 constitutes an outer screw-threaded her is shown as includinga. helical spring coil '3 rotatively received into a. corresponding bore shown as extending through the not 2 long tudinally thereof from end to end substantially parallel with the bolt-recei'ving.-

aperture. The inner end turn of the coil 3 proiects laterally substantially tangentially to form a locking tongue 4, which extends inwardly, as shown, through a recess formed tends transversely of the screw-threaded parts from the inner endof the cylindrical coil-receiving hole to the boltrecei ving aperture. The locking tongue 4 projects slightly into the bolt hole of the nut and engages the threads of the bolt-1 at a locking angle, the- 1 1n the inner face of the nut, and which ex;

extending transversely of the screw-threaded I parts to form alaterally' projecting 'a'ctH- ating lever or actuating arm 5,-"whi'c h is shown as received into a countersunk'recess on the outer face of the nut, such recess being.

shown as extending from-the cylindricalcoiL- receivinghole-to and alon the outer ed the nut,'but n'ot extending inward to the ltreceiving aperture of the nut. so that itshas an inner shoulder outwardlv therefrom. As

shown in this embodiment of the invention the locking tongue 4 and the actuating lever 5 lie at opposite sides of a plane coincident with the common axis of the bolt 1 and nut2 and also coincident with the axis of the helical coil 3. It is seen from this that, if the actuating lever 5 be moved away from the inner screw-threaded part or bolt 1, any torsional strain or torque on the coil 3 willbe increased and'the tapered point of the locking tongue 4 will be thereby premed the threaded portion of the bolt' 7; and m tra, if the actuating'lever 5 be moved inward toward the bolt 1 then the torsional or twist ing strain on the coil 3 -will-be imenxi.

Latching means are provided for relmsahly engaging'the actuating lever 53 and holding it awayfrom the bolt 1 to thereby press the tapered locking point of the locking tmigae -1 into locking engagement between the threads of the bolt 1. Such means are shown as comprising an inwardly turned and 6 forming a latch at the extremity of the actuaring lever 5 and a latch-rewiving socket '4' in the actuatinglever-receiving recess near the outer edge of the nut and which serves as a keeper for the latch 6. The helical coil 3 constitutes a combined resilient torsional stem and rockable actuating stem. such stem carrying at its inner end locking means exemplified in the locking tongue 1, and at its rided with releasable holding means, as exwhen the latch Gis disengage-d from the.

keeper socket 7 and the actuating-le er 5 is moved inward against the shoulder formed by the outer recess just outward from the bolt h ole, then the point of the look ng ti a ue 4 will be moved out of contact with and will not form a locking engagement with the threads of the bolt, although the tapered end of the looking tongue may still extend slightly into the groove formed between two of the threads of the bolt, this unlocked position of the locking member being illust at-ed v at Fig. 4. The torsional coil 3 in its function as a spring element to press the locking tongue into locking engagement, because of its great resiliency and flexibility, is of special utility both in taking up wear and in {1000111mfillzitlllg itself to the variations in actual dimensions of the screw-tliremhzd portions of the screw-threaded parts hereinl'iefore mentioned. The locking tongue 4 is sulliciently rigid and resistant to reliably perform its locking functions, and yet, as just described, it is pressed into its locking engagement with great resiliency and so as to permit of a large amount of self-adjustment. In the resisting part of its function the looking tongue strongly and unyieldingly supported by the Wall at the back of the inner recess which forms a continuation of the cylindrical side wall of the coil-containing hole, the locking tongue to this extent acting alone: whereas in the resilient part of its function the locking tongue has at its service the entire spring coil 3. That is to say, the locking tongue 4 is rigidly supported against end thrust and very yieldably and resiliently mounted [or swingingsmovement. The lo cation of the locking means, such as the tongue l, at a point removed from the outer nd of the screw-threaded part, such as within the recess at the inner end of the nut, as shown, effectively protects this most important part of the locking member in all respects and also, when the locking member is car ricd by the outer screw-threaded part, such as a self-locking n'ut, as is shown in the illustrated embodiments of the invention, the performance of the locking function is assured regardless of whether or not the nut is screwed to its full extent upon the bolt 1.

in operation, the locking member may be sot to locking position before the nut is scrcwcd on, as indicated at Fig. 3, or the nut may be screwed on first and then the locking nicinbcr sct to locking position as 'ward, a single swinging nioven'icnt of the shown at Figs. 1 and but usually the former method, prolmliiy the most cox", venicnt. To remove oi loosen the nutth outer/end portion of the actuating lever 5'; is raised until tine lair-l1 e is lifted out the keeper sorta-t and th an hr: is then moved inwardly towar This inward nio'v'ccnwit o th a ver rotatably incl thereb inovra the locking cu" bolt 3, as s own .l J, by m ner side oi. the cnitaini 1*; the v lever, hat the or ample ant oern ttc-ii is --l fro.

tent of such maven to fully release the licking ti-nguc engagement sov as to allow the nut to be. freely uiiscrowcil, The cinzntcrsinliing of the actuating lever in the. outer face at? the nut serves both to protect such lQVl'j! and to remove any possibility of it ever being in the way of any other part. The inner shoulder of the countersunk recess oi viates any brrak in the continuity of the threads of the nut and presents no chanri; for the actuating lever :3 ever getting in a position so it? to L eject over it 3 bolt hole in the path of the advancing bolt as the nut scrcuml on The end oi any suitable tool may be inserted under the actuating levcr 5' that is, between such lever and the nut, in first raise the. actuating lever and then to move it in a slzi'ni i' lot tool being all that is required to perform the two operations of unlatching or releasing the latch ll and hf swinging inward the actuating lover To render easy the insertion of such relea ng tool the actuating lever 5 slightly s avscd awav from the bottom of its containing no: most clearlv seen at l ig. 3.

Because oi iho aliove d scribed manner of construction by reason of uhich the stem portion 3 ol' the locking member extends through the uni 2 and the lockingtongue 4' projects laterally behind the inner end of the nut and the actuating lever 5 projects laterally at the front of the outer face of the nut, it will be observed that the lock ing member can never become detached from the nut but will at all times remain a permanent part there-oil obviating all liability of loss of the locking member. This feature of permaneiwy of the locking mom, her in thenut is comm n to all of tlic illua trarcd cmlauliinents oi the invention' The locking member is self-tightenin that to say. if the nut be inadvcrtentlv left loose. it wvill tighten or screw up of its own accord, instead of working otl whcn subjected to jars oriibratione. By the same action. a not which is i ,ght or screwed up, such as is shown at h 1, will not only remain tight but will have a constant tendency to tighten. This advantageous result takes place in the case of all of the several illustrated embodiments or modifications of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

The stem-containing cylindrical hole and the recesses at the ends thereof are located in a corner of the nut, thereby obviating any weakening of the nut, and this manner of construction is observed with all of the embodiments or modifications shown. The locking member-containing hole and recesses may be formed in any way found most convenient and inexpensive by those skilled in the art. but the preferable method would probably be to stamp out such hole and recesses concurrently with the stzin'iping out of the nut blank.

The construction just described in reference to Fi 1 to l. inclusive. has been found'in practice to fulfil all of the objet-ts and requirements of the invention as hereinbefore set forth. However, the modified constructions now to be described constitute advantageous practical embodiments of the invention which under some practical circumstances it might be desirable to use.

The modified construction illustrated at Figs. 5 and 6 combines in a single locking member a combined resilient torsional stem and rockable actuating stem 12, which consists in part of a spring coil (I such as is found in the first described construction, and in part f a straight wire portion I; such as is found in the last described construction,

the two stem parts 0, and Z) being concentric, as more clearly indicated in dotted lines at Fig. 6. The stem '12 extends longitudinally of the nut 13 and passes rotatably through a hole extending through the nut from end to end substantially parallel with the boltrrceiving aperture, this stem-containing hole ha ving, as shown, an enlarged inner portion for receiving the coil 0 and a concentric reduced outer portion corresponding to the reduced diameter of the straight uncoiled stem portion 7). The inner end portion of the coil (1. extends substantially tangentially to form a laterally pro 'jecting locking tongue 14, extending transversely to the cooperative screw-threaded parts and adapted to have locking engagement with the bolt 1, similarly to the locking tongue 1 (Figs. 1 to 4. inclusive), and contained in a corresponding recess at the inner face of the nut 13. From the orter end of the straight stem portion an actu ating lever 15 projects laterally ano extends transversely of the screw-threaded parts and is provided with latching means or releasable holding means such as heretofore described.

The chief feature of differentiation from H... lvrn-ainlXn'FnvQ rlnem-ilmd nnnstrnntinns of the modified construction illustrated at Figs. 7 and S resides in the fact that in this modification that feature is omitted by reason of whi h in the former constructions the resilient stem had also an actuating function, the longitudinally extending stem 16 in this last modification having the resilient function and not the actuating function. The stem 16 is of the coiled type and is contained in a cylindrical well extending partway through a nut 17 from its inner end. The inner end turn of the coiled stem 16 extends substantially tangentially and forms a projecting locking tongue 18, extending transversely to the screwthreadcd parts and can gageable at a locking angle with the threads of the bolt 1, a recess extending from the mouth of the well to the bolt-receiving aper ture being provided for the tongue 18. Several of the turns of the coiled stem 16 adja cent to the tongue 18 are free to rotate in the well but the other end turns of the coil adjacent to the bottom of the cylindrical well are firmly gripped and held from any movement by a malleable metal. plug 1!), which is so strongly upset in the bottom portion of the well as to substantially ei'nbed the end turns of the coil partially in such plug and partially in the side wall of the well, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The plug also effectively prevents the locking member from be coming detached from the nut 17 when the nut is not screwed on a bolt or other cooperative screw-threauled part. To enable the locking tongue 18 to be unlocked or disengaged from the threads of the bolt for unscrewing the nut 17, a small hole 20 is provided extending longitudinally of the nut 17 from the outer end thereof to the lockingtongue-containing recess, through which any suitable key or tool may be inserted to press the locking tongue 18 to non-locking position and hold it there while the nut is unscrewed. The simple and inexpensive coristruction of this modification has proved en iirely effective in its locking function and could well be employed upon nuts which require to be only infrequently removed or unscrewed.

Figs. 0 to 13, inclusive, illustrate modifications along the same general lines of construction shown at Figs. (3 and 7.

At Fig. 9 a coiled resilient torsional stein Bl provided extending part way longitudi nally through a nut 33 from the inner face thereof, the coils of the stem being rotatably ci'mtained in a well in the nut. The inner turn of the coil Ell is laterally extended to form a projecting locking tongue 10 extend ing transversely of the screw-threaded partor nut 35, the inner face of the nut having a recess therein for receiving the locking tongue. From the other end turn of the coil at the bottom of the coil-receiving well an anchor 57 nroiccts longitudinallv of the nut 6 last-coil. The anchor 37 is firmly set in a "smallil'iolefatfthe margin vof the bottom ,of

, the'coil receiv'ing n'll. as clearly shown in Fig. 9;- The nnchor 37, besides preventing ,rota 'tion of-thesteni-lll 'as a \'hole',', also re tainsjthe locking member in the nut when the nut is-not .in use upon a cooperative screw-tl'ireaded-part. A small hole 38 is provided longitudinally through the nut for the insertion of a key to .efiect unlocking, as 16 7and8.

In the constructions shown in Figs. 10 and I ll the means for anchoringin place the look. ing member are slightly-modified froni'thatjust described in reference to Fig. 9. As in the last described. construction, a cylindrical well and'corresp'ondingrecess are pro- .vided in a nut 3.9 and a coiled-torsional spring stem 10 has its COllS'TOtMJlYQly contained in the-well and has its inner coil continued tangentially to form 11 projecting locking tongue 41 At its end'adjacent to the bottom of the Well the last coil of the stern 39 is:turned first slightly downward and, then transversely- {substantially diametra'lly. acrossthe axis'ofthe coil toi'orin an anchor 42, which is reeeived into a corresponding transverse. slot formed substantially diametrally-across the bottom of the well, and thefmetal of the nut is upset at the bottom of the well/along the, edges of s uch slot to firmly g'rip and hold the anchor d and thereb o restrain the coil as an'hole front: rgtntion "1n the-well and-to secure the 40 lo'clting gnemherin'thennt. An unlocking hole-43qis provided-for the insertion of an unlocking key to engagejand push back the locking tongue 41.; .1 f i The construction illustrated in Figs. andll3 presents further modificationsin the anchoring means 01'- holding'nieansffor the locking member. In this construction the stern-containingwell in the nutH-is pf oyal or elliptical cross-section, as shown n Flg. 12 and is provided at its mouth withthe usual tongue-receiving recess' -The resilient stern .of the locking member is composed of cylindrical coil 45 the inner turn of which is extended to form a longitudinally pro ecting locking tongue 46, as seen in Fig. 12.

The last turn at the other end of the stem extends slightly laterally and then turns -downwardly and transversely to form an anchor 4. This anchor, before the. insertion of: the locking nieinimr in the nut, has a slight curve in a 'g lanc coincident with the axis ot'the stem the convexity of the curve beiirg-directer i towardithe stem. The free end of the anchoriand'thebend formed fiif'hy the lastyturn at the other end of .h i b f d ib di reference t Figs," tcnds in a longitudinalflplane substantially I holding in place the re anchor project laterall vbeyond tlie coilcd stem 45 as shown in Fig. l3. lVhe u the locking llltlll lkl hasbeen placed imposition in the well with the anchor.lii cxtendi the direction of the-t tan laterally projectinglocking' .tongu e 3S0 at right angles to the longitudinal plane-eel.

cupied by the anchor 47, so thatthe lockir g tongue 46- extends substantially ht 'i angles to the major axis l l tic-ill well. By reasonof. T the locking tongue l6 in its or in is strongly slnpported ln'zi e 'Wtll against end thrust..- strains the end of the torn ofthe Well from .rot serves to secure the locking mean in the nut. A ke -'-l iole, gl the nut for elfcc'ting union In the COllStl'UrCtiOllgilll and the modification 1s..-i'n the no of? the locking'ineniber the stem isleft free to aict as v spring for pressing. int lock ng1q0s ti0n a locking tongue '68 project ng jlater all 'pa-rt; shown as the ordinary. pol-t. ing tongue {58 occupyinga'ton Eng lever 76 located in a: leverofCfint-aining r6 183;.-

cess whichis cut through on the outer face of a nut 77 from the marginal edge thereof into thbolt-receiving aperture, so that in this construction there is no inner side wall of the recess forming an abutment. to limit the inwardmovement'ofi the actuating lever 76. This construction indicates that the actnating-lever-receiving recess may be cut' through into the bolt-receiving aperture of the nut whenever inany case for-any rea- 7. son this is found preferable.

. The reversely constructed and reversely arranged locking-members are illustrated-in "Fig. 17 and are shown as of the type illustrated at Figs. Sand {3, the reverse construction and arrangement of the two locking members enabling oneflof the loekingmembers to lock the nut-7813mm rotation. in one direction while the other locking member 20 locks the nut from rotation in the opposite 'direction. In so'me'situations it is desir- .able to lock-the coiiperative screw-threaded parts from relative, rotation in either direction; Either or both of the locking members may be set at the non-10c position to permit the nut 78 to be adjus in either direction. 'From this example itis'evident that l any of theconstructionsof locking members may be duplicatedin reversed form so as to lock the. cooperative screw-threaded parts from relative rotation in either or both dircctions, as desired. 1 I

Figs. 18 and 19 illustrate another modification belonging to the type in which a 5 coiled resilient torsional stem is employed a which is not an actuating stem, but which resiliently efi'ec'ts locking. engagement; In thisparticular construction the coiled stem 79 is of elliptical or oval cross-section and 6 carries at one end a laterally projecting locking tongue 80. At its other end, away from l the locking tongue, the stern 79ha'sseveral 1 of the end turns of its coil firmlyforced into ,a well of corresponding elliptical cross sec- 5 tion formed in a nut 81. The end turno'f the coiladjacent to the tongue 80 pro ects'above' the well for more resiliently su'pportyng the locking'tongue 80, which occupies a recess in the inner face of the nut substantially similar to'the locking-tongue-containing recesses hereinbefore described. The coacting elliptical stem and elliptical Well hole prevent rotation of the stem 79 as a whole and the extremely close fit of the end turns of the coiled stem obviate the loss of the locking member from the nut. A key hole 82 extends longik tudinally through the nut' 81 for the insertion of an unlocking key.

It is obvious that various modifications so may be made in the constructions shown and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention. I claim: v 1. Means for-locking from unintentional 5 relative rotationtwo screw-threaded engaging parts, comprising, in combination with such parts, a locking member carried by one ofthe screw-threaded parts and coactii'e with the other screw-threaded part; such locking member comprising a spring coil forming a combined resilient torsional stem and rockable actuating stem extending longitudinally of'the screw-threaded part by which the lockin member is carried, locking means carrie by such stem at one end thereof and adapted to have locking engagel ment with the other screw-threaded part, and releasable actuating-means for holding the stem at the other end thereoflfrom rotation and thereby releasably holding the locking means in locking position,

2. Means for locking from unintentional ,relative rotation two screw-threaded engaging parts, comprising,' in combination'with suchparts, a locking member carried by one (if the screw-threaded parts and coactive with vthe other screw-threaded part; such locking member. comprising a spring coil forming a resilient torsional stem extending longitudinally of the .screw threaded part by which the lockingmember is carried, and

locking means carried by such stem for hay ing locking engagement with the other screw-threaded'part.

V 3; Means for locking from unnitentional relative rotation two screwthreaded engaging parts, comprising, in combination with such parts, a locking member carried by one of the screwthreaded parts and coactive withthe other screw-threaded part; such locking member comprising a spring coil forming a resilienttorsional stem eirtemliug longitudinally of the-screw threaded 'partyand a-lateral extension. from one of the turns of the .coil jvforming a locking tongue extending transversely of thescrew-threaded part. f 4. Means for locking from unintentional its relative rotation two screw-threaded engaging parts, comprising, in combination with such parts, a locking member carried by one of thescreW-tIii'eaded' parts and coactive with the other screw-threaded part; such locking member comprising a spring'coil forming a resilient torsional stem extending longitudinally of the screw-threaded part,

means for restraining one of the turns of Y docking member comprising a spring coil forming a combined resilient torsional stem 

